Turncoat
by FullstopBlaster
Summary: Movieverse - Flareup is having strange Fluxes that are keeping all the earth bound Autobots awake at night, dreams of a past life? Is there something else she's not telling them? Ratchet X Jolt, Optimus X Ironhide.
1. Chapter 1

Turncoat

Chapter 1: Nightmare

Written in the MOVIE VERSE – I know that HASBRO has changed FLAREUP to be ELITA ONE however for this I am staying with the first proposed cannon. ARCEE – FLAREUP – CHROMIA. (NOT COMBINERS)

I have no idea at the moment if I will finish this story …NONE…so Please just be patient with me as I think it over. The best way to let me know if this is worth continuing is to REVIEW this ..so please.

I am still working on chapter 10 of training days and the next chapter of KIN. I am working trust me just crazy out of my head. :3

Pairings.

Ratchet X Jolt

Optimus X Ironhide

* * *

Praxus was quiet, and the night was dark. Cybertronians had abandoned the streets the war had begun. Word had spread throughout Cybertron that the factions had divided. Femmes and mechs scrambled to make their allegiance to one faction or the other. Some even fled the planet to save themselves and their families from the war.

There was no one around on this dark night; save for two, who stood in the central square, in a bitter struggle. The Purple femme bot clung to the servo of the mech that was trying to leave. The Femme would not let him go.

She fought to find purchase against his arm to take hold of what she was losing, what was falling away. "You cannot go!" her vocal processor cracked. The dark mech stopped his advance and looking back and down. His optic blinked slowly and his mouth formed a thin line. His frustration with her was apparent. She was not putting him in a good mood.

"This is unacceptable behavior Flareup." The mech spoke with a cold indifference. He waited a moment looking over every part of her, locking her in his mind so as to never forget. After this long moment he sighed, partitioning away her memory slowly. Once he was far enough away he would partition the memory for good, away from his processor.

"I love you." She fought to hold onto him looking up at him. "Speak to me….Say something!" She pleaded Energon streaming down her face plates, her optics scared and filled with sorrow.

His processor hitched at the words but he made no sign of it. Sliding a hand along her face slowly he looked down into her deep Blue optics. "The war has started you have made your choice, and I am making mine now…." He lowered his hand as if to break himself from her. Making himself let her go.

"Longarm!" She protested hands on his chassis running up to touch his face. "You can't go to them, not the decepticons!" she shook her head trying to wipe her face that streamed with energon. "Please reconsider…"

Longarm reached down grasping both her wrists in his servo and cast her down to the ground with a clank. "You did not consider me when joining their ranks….Go back Autobot" He pointed off into the distance toward the Autobot base. "…don't make me tell you again." He turned and strode away toward the location where the decepticon forces were assembling. "Our choices are our own…I make my choice now…as you have already made yours." His stabilizers took a step and after the first each remaining step was easy for the mech. "live with the choice you now make." The statement was for himself but it would impact of it would follow her every day.

Flareup was left in the main square of Paraxus alone sobbing on the ground. She looked up at the retreating shadow of the mech she loved. "Oh Longarm but can you live with yours?" He couldn't hear her sobs, and would never hear the last utterance she made.

* * *

Sitting up Flareup screamed as the flux receded from her mind. Her body shook on the berth set up for her. The metallic scream echoed through the hanger as she clutched at the sides of the berth. Slowly Around her optics came online. All of the Autobots were in one hanger so when Nightmares, like Flareup's, ran rampant everyone was subject. Slowly other optics began to light up brought from their recharge by the sounds.

It was bad enough all the Autobots had to share one hanger, but they had no other choice. The mated pares shared berths, everyone else was scattered about where they could be put. However, tonight's peace, had been disrupted by the cybertronian's scream, a high pitched digital reverb that sent shivers down the spines of the fleshlings outside that had heard it.

Ratchet twisted his legs over off the edge of his berth and looked over to her. Jolt Rolled over feeling Ratchet rise from their berth and shook his head sitting up slowly. The Coupe's hand reached a hand out laying it against Ratchet's back. "Flareup?" Ratchet asked standing moving slowly towards her in the dim lighting; Jolt's servo fell back onto the berth. Arcee was at her side holding onto her sister's servo tightly. Chromia sat up from her berth near Flareup."I'm alright I'm fine." Flare up waved a hand. "It's nothing." She was trying to remove their prying optics. Get them to leave her in peace. Her hands fidgeted with her optics as she wiped away the streaming energon.

Arcee frowned at this from her sister "It's the fourth time this week, it's not nothing." The Pink femme insisted to her purple sister. "You can't live like this."

"They are just old echos of a past life." Flareup waved a hand and lay back on the berth. Ratchet's hand slid down over her shoulder. "I'm alright really." She said trying to get the medic to return to his recharge.

"I want to scan your processor tomorrow." Ratchet looked over her helm. "There may be some bad code…"

"It's not really that impor-" Flare up began.

Ratchet cut her off "I…will decide what is important Flare….this has been going on four times a week for the past solar cycle…this has to end." His finger to the ground was his final statement. Ratchet didn't like pulling rank but if he didn't, he'd never get any recharge.

"Ratchet I do not believe-" Flareup began to counter.

"Do as you are ordered Flareup." Optimus sat up on his berth beside Ironhide and pointed a servo digit in her direction. "I agree this has gone on long enough…let us help you." Ironhide his bonded was a stone at his side, nothing woke him up.

Flareup's optics dimmed and she nodded in defeat. "Yes sir." Ratchet's hand slid down to her cheek and he lifted her chin and looked down into her optics. "I can't stop them…I'm sorry."She wimpered into his optics, as if her apologies could make up for the inconvieniance she was causing.

"It's nothing to apologize for." Ratchet nodded. "Your core temperature is high, and your systems are running over their appropriate levels. " He smiled and turned to everyone else "Get some recharge everyone…try to at least." Ratchet smiled over to Jolt "I'll return shortly."

Jolt waved his hand at Ratchet, and indication he should take his time, the coupe rolled over quietly and shuttered his optics. Optimus rolled back and pulled his legs back up onto the berth laying his head back to do the same. Ratchet smiled at Arcee and Chromia "Back to recharge girls I'll take it from here." Ratchet said reaching into a compartment on his hip and pulling out a few things. He shifted the items about in the palm of his servo and smiled lifting up a chip.

"What's that?" Flare asked as Arcee pat her shoulder moving back to her berth.

"Sedative chip…keep your processor from running anything other than your recharge subroutines." His smiled calmed her slightly and she nodded. "Should help the overheating too." His sage nod was all she needed. "Lay back."

Following orders Flareup lay back slowly. "Like this?"

"That's fine." Ratchet's voice began to whisper as he could hear Optimus' recharge system take over. He knew jolt was already recharging. The medic's hand was slow as he lifted open the panel on the side of her helm and used a small LED to see what he was doing "I know this has been hard on you." Ratchet said "You will adapt to Earth we have all had to."

"It's not Earth exactly." Flareup shrugged as Ratchet worked within her mind. Ratchet raised a brow as she continued to speak. "I keep remembering something from the Past."

Ratchet made a sound akin to understanding. "Something you fear?" His fingers worked slowly numbing her processor before sliding chips out to scan them.

"Something I wish I could forget…but something I never wish to forget." This caught Ratchet off guard. His head tilted to the side and he blinked slowly. "Did you know an Autobot named Longarm?" Ratchet's optics cast down a moment and he searched his memory banks.

Ratchet looked down at her with the shake of his head. Sliding a few chips into her helm he smiled. "No can't say that I did…" he shrugged "I have met a lot of mechs can't say I remember all their names." Ratchet smiled to her petting her helm. "I'm going to activate this now. We'll talk more about all this mess in the morning."

Flare smiled to him and nodded and turned her head to the side. Ratchet activated the chip and watched her body go limp. Her systems began to regulate her intakes and she seemed to be comfortable for the most part. He watched her for a moment more before slowly turning away.

Returning to his berth Ratchet crawled up beside Jolt quietly. "Is she going to be alright?"

"I'm not sure Jolt." Ratchet wrapped his arm around the coupe pulling him closer "Recharge." Ratchet just wanted to rest, his servo pat the blue coupe on the upper shoulder and the smaller younger mech nodded slowly.

"Night Ratch." Jolt murmured rolling away slowly. Ratchet only smiled pulling him closer.

* * *

"See anything out of the ordinary?" Arcee asked as Ratchet looked over the scan.

"Arcee you must go…. I know you are concerned but I need to concentrate." Ratchet turned folding his arms across his torso. This was the 10th time she'd asked Flareup's Scans. Arcee had hovered in the main hanger for what seemed like hours. "Go on I will send you a message when Jolt and I have found something." Jolt turned to the pink femme and offered her a smile and a nod.

Optimus and Ironhide were in the far of the hanger working on something weapons related, bumblebee was with him helping with ideas, for the most part the three mechs had stayed out of the way much to Ratchet's expectations of them. However everyone seemed to be hanging around during this procedure if only to hear something.

Chromia who had been quiet the whole time stepped forward taking Arcee by the arm and pulled her along. "Come on sis…let the mechs work." Arcee reluctantly turned and nodded leaving willingly with Chromia.

Ratchet turned his eye to the scan and shook his head and looked to Jolt who stood beside him. "What do you think?" He motioned across two displays "Something's jamming up the recharge cycle but it's not bad code."

Jolt shook his head "Just doesn't look right…" he said looking down at another datapad. "I don't understand it Ratch…She's clean of bad code, but this flux, and these temperature problems…She said she had pain in her torso plate as well…"

Ratchet sighed "I know I'm at a loss too." He shifted his weight on his feet and hummed sloftly.

"Something on your mind Sweet-spark?" Jolt asked very seriously.

"Possibly she said something about a mech last night…named Longarm." Ratchet shook his head.

Jolt's digits moved up and he scratched at his helm "never heard that name before." He turned his optics back to the datapad. "Prime's databanks should hold the Autobot roster…if this Longarm is an autobot …Prime would know." Jolts tone was quiet and soft.

Patting Jolt on the shoulder, Ratchet turned away slowly and nodded. His head lifted and he looked behind himself "Prime I could use your assistance for a moment."

Optimus turned and smiled to his CMO handing Ironhide a datapad. The Black mech met his bonded's smile and nodded reaching up a hand patting Optimus' arm, as if granting him permission to go.

Ratchet turned and leaned against his console and looked up at Optimus. "Have something?" Optimus' query was even as he stepped up and looked down to the femme outstretched on the table. "I hate seeing any one of us in such a predicament."

"Not really prime, She asked me last night about a mech named Longarm?" the CMO folded his arms across his chest. "Know anyone by that name? I have no idea if he's related to all this." Ratch made a sweeping gesture over her body. "Or not but Curiosity has me."

Optimus took a moment's pause lifting a hand to his helm in thought. "I'm sorry Ratchet I do not." He looked down at her. "Someone she cared for?"

"Not sure." Ratchet turned showing optimus the scan. "I've scanned her processor, databanks…" Ratchet sighed "We're at a loss…her temperature is high….the fluxes get repeatedly worse…and she has been complaining of a pain in her torsoplate."

"Her torsoplate?" Optimus asked. "In what way?"

Jolt stepped forward and turned a datapad to Prime "said it was like overhead camshafts were failing." Optimus took the datapad and nodded.

Looking at the diagram prime made a fist in the center of his chest and motioned it down "Like it's being pulled out of her through the bottom of her spark casing. " He was reading the statement off the datapad outloud.

Ratchet nodded "that's how she described it exactly." Ratchet sighed "I'm not sure what to make of it."

Optimus turned his head "Ironhide come here a moment." He called and then turned back to Ratchet. "I may have a theory for you." Ratchet raised a brow and made a motioning guesture for prime to go ahead and watched as Ironhide walked over.

"What cha need?" Ironhide asked looking between them all. He looked to Optimus quietly.

"When we are parted…." He broached this question softly "When we are parted for missions …how does your torso plate feel?"

Ironhide shifted "Like it's getting ripped out my transmission…" he shrugged "So use ta being close…our sparks dun like to be apart…Lots of aches …and you feel like you're gonna purge half the time…but that's our bond…and with the matrix it's very hard…cause it's not just Optimus pulling my spark…it's the blasted Matrix too." he sighed heavily and looked around "What's this about?"

Ratchet tilted his head "You think she's sparkbound?" Jolt pat Ratchet's shoulder and turned to the monitor he ran over her systems again.

Jolt nodded slowly as Ratchet came up behind him to look over his shoulder "It's not a bond ratch...something else…like she tried to bond and failed…like there's an echo."

"A failed bond?" Ratchet shook his head and looked at the scan.

Jolt blinked "Or perhaps one that was never completed." The idea made Ratchet nod.

"Might have to talk to Wheeljack about some of these readings…That's theoretical medicine and though I am qualified to speculate, I would like a second opinion from Jack if I can get it…Primus this is nothing like I've ever seen. " Ratchet shrugged softly then turned to gaze upon the motorcycle. "Let's let her rest…when she has had sufficient recharge we will speak to her about all of this…"

"Take all the time you need Ratchet…the decepticons are keeping fairly quiet she is your top priority right now." Optimus said quietly.

Ironhide put a hand on Prime's shoulder. Prime looked down and to the side at him and nodded slowly. They barely spoke to one another anymore their systems were so in tune with one another that words were unnecessary most days. Jolt watched with quiet fascination at Ironhide and Optimus as they carried on their silent conversation. He could tell the flick of a wrist, the shift of a facial plate, all these had meaning between the two bonded mechs, a love and respect that had lasted through lifetimes of war. He wanted it so badly, to have what his two seniors had. Something almost tangible; that Jolt envied.

A Servo on his shoulder brought Jolt out of his reverie. "I'm sorry Ratchet." He said and turned "You were saying?" Jolt tried to push the conversation past his own emotional doubts. His digits trailed away at the console and looked over the readings.

"You're still young." Ratchet smiled to him softly. Jolt's fingers tapped at the keys but came to a slow stop as Ratchet continued to speak. "And we're not ready for something like what they have." His hand slid down the coupe's back. "But soon…I know you long for it." Ratchet wouldn't deny him that understanding. Ratchet just wanted Jolt to be absolutely certain before taking a step like bonding.

Jolt looked up at him and nodded, if a bit spark broken by this shattered reverie. "Of course Ratchet you're right as always." He smiled "What do we do for Flare-up?" Jolt asked and turned around to Meet Ratchet's optics. "She can't go on like this ….She's having trouble functioning as it is…"

"No Sweet-spark...she cannot." Ratchet sighed looking over her still form on the berth. "she certainly cannot." Ratchet took two steps to her side and his hand crested over her helm as he let out a long sigh.

Jolt walked up behind him his servo caressing down the medic's arm. "We'll figure out what's going on Ratch…I promise."

"I hope for her sake…" Ratchet turned smiling at his love and clasping a servo over the one against his own arm. "That promises are enough."


	2. Chapter 2

Turncoat

Chapter 2: What is lost…

* * *

I stand on the precipice of the pier. My head shifts and I weigh my own spark in my processor. I should have been here. I should have been here for her when she needed me. I thought the fluxes would stop. I thought she would be released.

I was wrong.

I see her now sitting on the end of the little cement pier. Watching the sun as it fades behind the vast ocean. As night makes its dawn upon us.

My cautious steps give me away as I walk up behind her. "A perfect night." I say softly in an almost optimistic way. I don't want her to feel shame or sorrow. Each of my words resonates off my vocaliser as the fins on the side of my head glow with each syllable.

"Indeed." She leans over toward my leg and wraps her arms around it. Her head shifts to lie against my armor and I smile softly under my mask looking down reaching a hand to rub across her helm.

"I am sorry." I broach the subject carefully. "That I was not here." I'm nervous; I sound it.

"It's fine Wheeljack." She says quietly but her voice does not convey confidence in the words. I try to understand but find I am at a loss. I guess I don't know what to think, and right now with how upset I am at myself for leaving her, it's hard to feel too.

"I'm working with ratchet…" I say quietly looking out to the stars. "I'll find out what's wrong with ya…I promise." I flooded my voice with as much optimism as I could. She smiles up at me now meeting her optics with mine and nods. "I now know why you didn't want to interface with me."

Her optics filled with sorrow, and unspoken apology to a broken spark. "I wanted to…" her head lowerd in shame. "I just don't know …if my spark can handle it." I nod knowingly and kneel down on one knee joint, she's still clutched to my calf strut and I smile down lifting her face to meet mine, while, at the same time, I reach back to release the mask that covers my face. "You're always so patient with me."

"Get more flies with sugar." I laugh softly and smile to her. "It's true I tried once….worked out well…good experiment didn't explode." I touch a digit to her helm between her optics and I see her smile, Primus that's all I ask let her smile again.

She seems more chipper now, as she lays her head on my knee and looks up to me. "Did anything blow up today?"

"No not really…I was doing calculations with Ratch based on your Processors output from last night." I say matter of factly. She doesn't want to seem to talk about her flux.

"I missed you." Her voice quieted and I know she did. She ends my rant about what I was doing; she's the only one that can. I can feel the draw to her in my spark and I simply nod. I simply know that anything more would be too much.

"I know I am sorry I wasn't there…the mission to Asia gave me the opportunity to collect a lot of samples of plant life as well as ore indigenous to the area…and make some scans." I stumble over my words, but no word, excuse, will ever be enough to convince myself I should have been with her. I cringe within myself fighting the unending hurt.

"Did you find energon?" Flare's optics looked hopeful. I try to soften my optics for her.

"No…unfortunately not." I sigh but cast my optics up to the darkening sky. "Beautiful."

"Yes it is." She nodded a servo twisting to meet my own lacing her digits with mine. "I love the stars…." She turns to me with wide optics "where was home again Jack?" her innocent question was a balm to my hurt. Her question causes me to forget one pain; it being exchanged for another, that being, the loss of my home.

Giving the sky a glance I make a calculation or two and lift my arm to point the way. "There…we use to be light years in that direction." I give her a soft squeeze pulling her against my plates. Her servo rests upon my face.

"It's gone now…" she said almost in disbelief a quiet whisper of a breath. I start to talk on the crest of a sigh but wait a moment. "I barely remember…." Her statement falls into a murmur and I worry again for her spark and processor. I fear I'm doing too little, or worse yet doing too much.

I pull her closer to myself; she stands, toward my torso. "I saw it explode myself." I sigh and mutter quietly. " …an explosion I did not cause I promise." My smile fades as our helms touch just above our optics. "Flare ….what are you fluxing over?" The fact she keeps it from me hurts worse than knowing she's fluxing at all. "Tell me."

"I cannot…" Optics lowered she frowns and turns her head away. I reach my hands to grasp her helm; hands moving slowly downward.

Reaching to her face I turn her optics upon mine again. "Let us help you." I plead. "Let me help you." I demand. "I will do anything for you." I promise and wonder if it's not enough, if I'm not enough. "You know I would."

Her servo trails up to my face. "Just be with me." A pause as she looks down and nods "I'll tell you when I feel that I can." She pulls me closer "I promise." My nod is stopped by her lips against mine, and I vent a sigh through the vents on my back and smile against her kiss. I missed her, I love her, and I will die to help her.

I can only find two words in my vast databanks. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me wheeljack" her servos run from my face to my torso plate. "Just love me."

I chuckle. "Well that's easy enough." I seal anymore of her words behind my lips and I kiss her, I pull her back. Lying on the dock and she's resting atop my body. I smile petting my hands over her frame. Finding peace I close my optics to listen to her engine rev as she presses against me.

* * *

Darkness falls around me; I have gotten use to it, all the darkness, here on the Nemesis. Looking up I watch the seekers land, their engines pushing away some of the low cloud cover on the landing strip. Only Four of the Six have arrived. As they move in my direction, I can tell its Skywarp and the three lesser seekers. "Where are Starscream and Thundercracker?" I ask firmly grabbing the purple seeker's arm.

"On their way…they had to eh…" He shifts pulling his arm out of my grasp "they got a delivery for ya." Skywarp smirks and daws away. "You three downstairs now…" As his growl resonates as he stepps away from me taking their new seekers down inside the ship.

"A Delivery?" I turn to the purple and black jet questioning if I have heard him correctly. "elaborate." Befor the jet can follow his comrades below deck he turns. Making to explain himself he's stopped by the sound of incoming jet engines.

"Well, never you mind. There he is….Ask Screamer.."

Turning I watch as the two seekers land. Starscream turns to meet my gaze, as Thundercracker lands beside him. Skywarp and the younger Seekers have disappeared below decks; after a glance at me Thundercracker is not far behind them.

Starscream hands me a small crate. "Here." He says "Said he was a friend that it was important…I scanned it …mostly scrap." Starscream turned and headed inside "And before you ask no; he didn't give me his name…" he added as he made to disappear below decks. "It better be important Shockwave." He says and draws farther away.

It doesn't take me long to know who the package was from the little hook burned into the top of the box tells me volumes. Turning I make my way below decks to my quarters to see what this is about.

Once safely within the confines of my quarters; I open it. Finding bits and pieces of my old self I sigh. Parts that I had removed to become the mech I am today. I dig through the parts slowly and come across a data chip, and though I know it's mine I do not recall what the chip holds. I place the chip in a datapad and access the information within it.

A warning screen "Longarm, this is a partitioned memory, do not read this …if you are engulfed in the war with the Autobots you must not access this chip it is a memory cell." I sit upon my neglected berth as my vents pour out. "What was so trying that you had to cast it from your mind eh?" I ask myself and wonder what could be on the cell that would need to stay hidden even from one's self. I know my old name, my Cybertronian name, but I am no longer the mech I was.

I am someone wholly different and I have made a pact. I have made a pact with myself to be Shockwave, the forth in command of the Decepticons. I work on the basis of logic alone and wonder if logically I cannot know what is on the chip and keep it from affecting me.

I try to combat the rage that fills my spark, and I have no idea what I am doing as I pull the chip form the datapad and insert it into the cell reader adjacent to my forearm. I know now why I blocked this chip. I feel the flood of emotions come back to me, they hit me square in my spark casing and I fall to the plated deck. "Flare…" I look down my optic dimming quietly "flare." I voice her name again and it's the only thing I can say as I feel the darkness wash over me again, and I offline the surge of emotions. Accessing the chip was enough to fry my relays and the last thing I remember is the room going black.

* * *

Ironhide stood on the training field and watched bumblebee and Sideswipe duel hand to hand. Optimus stood beside him and the two exchanged looks but never spoke.

Bumblebee ducked out of the way of sideswipe's arm reaching forward to grab it rolling back on his doorwings to kick the silver mech over his back "BUMBLE!" Sideswipe didn't finish before he was on the ground.

"Bee takes that round." Ironhide called out. Optimus smirked and nodded to Ironhide slowly. The two seeming to be in quiet internal conversation as always.

Grumbling his displeasure Sideswipe stood and turned helping Bumblebee to his feet. "Nice work." The silver mech said looking up at the sky.

"Don't worry Sides…he's out there somewhere…"

"Yeah but where?" Sideswipe sighed and turned casting the fear out of his mind. "Wanna go watch some TV?"

"Sure…Come on." Bumblebee nodded.

As the two mechs turned to leave Ironhide pushed prime onto the field. "So that's how it has to be huh?" Optimus asked quietly. Stalking out to the field his swords shifting down from their sheaths.

"Bet your aft." Ironhide said pulling out a small pipe that extended into a bo staff. "No firepower…I hate your rules."

Optimus didn't ask if Ironhide was ready, he merely nodded, and received the same in return from the black mech. Their bond was sealed from both sides. The two mechs stood sizing each other up quietly. Optimus walked slowly toward the other. Ironhide moved slowly around his counterpart; the staff twisting in his servos.

Wheeljack walked along the side of the training field eyes gazing toward the two mechs who began their spar, as always Prime would push hide back with force and the smaller mech would double his assult and come back pinning prime to the ground, able to use the larger mech's size against him every time.

This time however prime had an idea, as Ironhide stood holding out a hand to help his mate from the ground Optimus rolled and kicked Ironhide's legs out from under him. The black mech rolled to the grass cursing in cybertronian. "OPTIMUS!" he growled.

The red and blue peterbuilt only smiled in his mates direction and turned walking off the field.

Wheeljack smiled as Prime approached him, blades shunting back into their sheaths. "Wheeljack." Prime said quietly "How is Flareup?" his voice that of complete concern.

"Eh …she still won't tell me what the frag is going on." Wheeljack sighed. "Like she doesn't trust me or something prime."

"I don't believe that's it at all." Optimus said turning slightly to glance at Ironhide pulling dirt clods out of his joints. "I believe….that she is simply conflicted…and she needs time to heal, but she also needs your love and support."

Jack cast a finger over his shoulder in the direction of Ironhide he laughed. "Should I lead by example sir?" Ironhide cursed throwing a large dirt clod at Optimus' helm. The leader didn't even flinch.

Optimus chuckled. "I suppose not." Ironhide came up behind them and let out a slew of curses at Optimus in Cybertonian. Wheeljack let out a low trill it was the most vulgar thing he'd ever heard out of Ironhide. "He doesn't mean any of that." Optimus said softly casting it aside as the Mech stormed away.

"Sure sounded like he did sir…" Wheeljack sighed watching Ironhide leave still pulling dirt out of his joints cursing.

Optimus thought it best to change the subject. "have you spoken with Ratchet today?"

"Bout her scans? No….but sir…I'd like to try something if that's alright." The white mech looked up at his leader with optimism in his optics.

Optimus raised a plate over his left optic. "I'm listening."

"Let her and I …uh…spend the night alone…just the two of us…let me hook her to a monitor and have her recharge without fear of waking anyone up, and I'll record her bodies responses, see what we can learn, if we let her flux happen and let it finish instead of waking her up when she starts….we might find something new out." he sighs "I know there isn't a lot of room here but if Ratch and Hide will let us stay in the medical and storage hanger for one night..." he trailed off waiting for prime to speak.

Optimus turned his head thinking long and hard before standing to full height. "Do it... I have to track down Ironhide." He stood abruptly, and sounded more than serious.

Watching Prime pick up his pace Wheeljack knew he'd harmed Ironhide's Pride, it wasn't a lot, but it was enough. He sighed and found himself speaking out loud. A prayer from one who hadn't prayed in a long time. One who let science not faith rule his life, was going to where science could not follow. "Primus…" he looked up "Please let me be enough so that we can be together." He begged softly. "I want to be enough for her." He groaned servos pressing against his aching spark. "I want to save her."

She stood watching from the far side of the field and hearing every word he had said. Flareup frowned, shaking her head out of earshot, speaking in a whisper she let her body sag in defeat. "There's no saving me jack…" She uttered and turned grabbing her rifle to make her way off the island alone. "I can't put you all in danger." she sighed reaching to her chest knowing that the feelings would only get stronger.


End file.
